Acts 19
Paul at Ephesus
1
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth,
that Paul, having passed through the upper
regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some
disciples
2
he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy
Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him,
“We have not so much as heard whether there is a
Holy Spirit.”
3
And he said to them, “Into what then were you
baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4
Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a
baptism of repentance, saying to the people that
they should believe on Him who would come after
him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
5
When they heard this, they were baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6
And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy
Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with
tongues and prophesied.
7
Now the men were about twelve in all.
8
And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly
for three months, reasoning and persuading
concerning the things of the kingdom of God.
9
But when some were hardened and did not believe,
but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude,
he departed from them and withdrew the
disciples, reasoning daily in the school of
Tyrannus.
10
And this continued for two years, so that all
who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord
Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.Miracles
Glorify Christ
11
Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of
Paul,
12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons
were brought from his body to the sick, and the
diseases left them and the evil spirits went out
of them.
13
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took
it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord
Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying,
“We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul
preaches.”
14
Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish
chief priest, who did so.
15
And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I
know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
16
Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped
on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against
them, so that they fled out of that house naked
and wounded.
17
This became known both to all Jews and Greeks
dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all,
and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18
And many who had believed came confessing and
telling their deeds.
19
Also, many of those who had practiced magic
brought their books together and burned them
in the sight of all. And they counted up the
value of them, and it totaled fifty
thousand pieces of silver.
20
So the word of the Lord grew mightily and
prevailed.The Riot at Ephesus
21
When these things were accomplished, Paul
purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed
through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to
Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I
must also see Rome.”
22
So he sent into Macedonia two of those who
ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, but he
himself stayed in Asia for a time.
23
And about that time there arose a great
commotion about the Way.
24
For a certain man named Demetrius, a
silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana
brought no small profit to the craftsmen.
25
He called them together with the workers of
similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know
that we have our prosperity by this trade.
26
Moreover you see and hear that not only at
Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this
Paul has persuaded and turned away many people,
saying that they are not gods which are made
with hands.
27
So not only is this trade of ours in danger of
falling into disrepute, but also the temple of
the great goddess Diana may be despised and her
magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the
world worship.”
28
Now when they heard this, they were full
of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is
Diana of the Ephesians!”
29
So the whole city was filled with confusion, and
rushed into the theater with one accord, having
seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians,
Paul’s travel companions.
30
And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the
disciples would not allow him.
31
Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his
friends, sent to him pleading that he would not
venture into the theater.
32
Some therefore cried one thing and some another,
for the assembly was confused, and most of them
did not know why they had come together.
33
And they drew Alexander out of the multitude,
the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander
motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his
defense to the people.
34
But when they found out that he was a Jew, all
with one voice cried out for about two hours,
“Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”
35
And when the city clerk had quieted the crowd,
he said: “Men of Ephesus, what man is there who
does not know that the city of the Ephesians is
temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and
of the image which fell down from Zeus?
36
Therefore, since these things cannot be denied,
you ought to be quiet and do nothing rashly.
37
For you have brought these men here who are
neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of
your
goddess.
38
Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen
have a case against anyone, the courts are open
and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges
against one another.
39
But if you have any other inquiry to make, it
shall be determined in the lawful assembly.
40
For we are in danger of being called in question
for today’s uproar, there being no reason which
we may give to account for this disorderly
gathering.”
41
And when he had said these things, he dismissed
the assembly.
